Namely mine.
“I don’t think you made too many friends today, Ty,” said Ira as he came up beside me.
“I prefer quality in my friends over quantity.”
He snorted. “I just don’t want to find you dead one morning.”
The echo of my thought gave me pause.
“Is it that bad already?”
“No. But it could be if you’re not careful. A few might need some time to work themselves up for it.”
“You know who these people are?”
“I have a few suspects. Me and Reuma marked them to keep an eye out for.”
“Find a reason to pull those out of the ranks tomorrow. Work them harder than the rest.”
He appeared exasperated. “Ain’t you heard what I just said?”
“I did. I want them so tired they can’t think of anything except sleep and how much they hurt. So long as they hold up through a few days of that, then I can address them differently.”
Ira gave a shrug of resignation. He didn’t agree, but he’d obey the command. “Your call.”
I watched him track Reuma as she walked toward a clearing where Boaz and a few others were setting up our fire. Several of the soldiers leered at her in a way that made me question if I had drilled them hard enough. Ira’s hands clenched into fists and released. I expected to have to hold him back from marching over there and wailing on them, but to his credit he remained in place.
“I’ve been watching you keep an eye on her all day. She barely gets out of your sight.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust her to handle herself. It’s just, you know. Enough fools get a mind about them to do something stupid and numbers will win out.”
“Hopefully I can march that out of them.”
“I hope they only think about doing something stupid.” He paused. “You’re wondering whether I regret her coming along, aren’t you?”
“The thought crossed my mind earlier.”
“I don’t. I’d rather be worrying about her under these circumstances than worrying about her miles away.”
“I hear you.”
He spat and swore to Prax. “Sorry, Ty. I forgot for a second about your kids and—”
“I know you didn’t mean anything. Still, you have me wondering if I shouldn’t have lied to Balak about them being dead. It might have made more sense to bring them along so that I could keep an eye on them.”
“Since when do you second guess yourself after listening to me?”
I slapped his shoulder. “Don’t sell yourself short. If I thought you didn’t have anything to offer other than being a warm body, I’d have dropped you from my unit a long time ago.”
He chuckled.
I looked over my shoulder toward a line of low hills in the distance. I kept waiting to see a rider come over the rise, but nothing except a darkening gray sky topped them.
“He’s definitely been gone awhile,” said Ira.
“Huh?” I asked, turning.
“Hamath. That’s who you’re looking for, right?”
“What makes you say that?”
“After your talk with him yesterday, you haven’t said anything to anyone about it. Dekar noticed earlier how you keep looking out in the distance. I doubt it’s because you’re expecting a rain cloud to come our way.”
I tried to deflect, feeling put off for being that easily read. “Could be looking at the sky for another eruption.”
“Except you’re not just looking toward Hol. You’ve been looking everywhere, probably because you don’t know where Balak sent him.”
I chuckled. “Am I really that easy to read?”
“Sometimes. So what happened? You find out why he became such a jerk?”
“We didn’t exactly get to finish our conversation, but he’s definitely changed. Doesn’t care about much of anything anymore.” I paused. “He actually enjoys this life.”
“I’m not sure if he’s changed all that much then.”
“What do you mean?”
“After those first couple years Hamath never really cared about a whole lot of anything except Hamath.”
Past events clicked into place. “That’s about when Bilhah would have sent him that letter he kept from us.”
“Yeah. I mean he complained a lot, but half the time I think he just complained to pass the time. He never seemed to exactly hate what we had to do like others did. And you know how much he liked whoring. Did it more than just about anyone.”
“True. He complained most about Balak though. And also about the possibility of dying.”
“What soldier didn’t complain about those things? The one thing I never heard him complain about was the killing.”
I frowned. I hadn’t really thought about that before, but I think Ira was on to something. That was perhaps more unsettling than the conversation with Hamath. I might have raised Hamath up into being something he never was.
If that was true, what would have caused me to do something like that?
I shook my head before I went too far down that line of thinking. Hamath had his faults, but he was a good man. He had to be.
I could see Ira was waiting for a response, but I really didn’t feel like giving one right then.
“You mind going to check on Boaz and the rest of our group? It looked like a few were starting to limp. If it’s soreness that’s fine, but the last thing I want are blisters forming.”
He gave me an eye, knowing what I was doing.
“Sure, Ty. Blisters.”
As he walked away, I took a deep breath. Alone and not under the watch of so many, I relaxed a bit, and felt my own fatigue more fully. That weight of exhaustion caused me to stiffen back up so I didn’t relax any further. At least not yet. I still needed to maintain that appearance of strength to others who might be watching.
I started walking in search of Dekar. I had a couple ideas for the next day that I wanted to run by him. Though Ira had the drill sergeant attitude and the ability to get the most out of men, Dekar better understood what we could do to mitigate our weaknesses. And though our weaknesses were pretty much everything, I thought it would help to talk things through with someone I trusted.
I took barely two steps when a messenger came running up.
“Captain Tyrus!”
“Yes?”
“General Balak wants to see you right away, sir.”
I sighed. “Tell him I’m on my way.”
* * *
After another cold exchange with Etan I walked inside Balak’s tent. I made a note that I might have to find some time to learn what Etan was so bitter about. Either that, or decide whether or not I even cared.
Balak was at the map again, hands behind his back. Though there wasn’t a bottle in sight, I caught the scent of alcohol in the air. That surprised me. Balak had never been one to drink, but then again I knew the man was under a lot of stress. I took note of the observation, but refrained from commenting on it for the time being. Despite my earlier decree of no alcohol for the army, I still answered to Balak. I’d only bring the matter up if I felt it would negatively impact his thinking and our success.
“Sir?”
His big eyebrows rose as he looked up. “We got problems.”
“I didn’t think you’d be calling me in to share any good news,” I said sarcastically as I walked over to him.
His eyebrows rose higher. I knew that aggravated look well.
I ignored it. “So what is it?”
“The Malduks.”
I froze. “What?”
“The blasted Geneshans still have the Malduks working with them.”
“How many?”
“Thousands, though I don’t have an exact number because they’re moving up north in small groups of a couple hundred. Could be dozens of those group
s, but I only have three already overworked High Mages to investigate and none are at full power.”
I swore, then paused as something he said struck me. “Sir, did you say that they’re moving north? I assume you meant south since north would have them marching right back up to their homes in the mountains.”
“I meant north. There are dozens of small companies of both Geneshans and Malduks coming up from the south. Some are only a few days march behind us. They’re all heading toward Hol as are other Geneshan forces coming in from the west.”
I blinked in confusion. No matter the advantages our brutal enemies once had over us, I was always able to work out the strategies used by the Malduks and Geneshans. However, I couldn’t make any sense of their movement from the south toward Hol.
“What were their forces doing in the south?”
“I don’t know yet. It looks like some are carrying prisoners with them though.”
“Sacrifices?”
“That was my guess. But you haven’t asked the most important question yet.”
“You mean why there are armies coming in from the south at all?”
“Yes! And how did they get there?” He slammed his fist on the table which prompted Etan to poke his head inside.
Balak waved him off with a hand.
Etan dipped his head back out. Balak started pacing.
“Those blasted Geneshans made us all look like fools,” he said, voice growing tight with anger.
A sick feeling twisted my insides. I already didn’t like the way the conversation was developing. With enemy soldiers in the south, Ava and my kids would be in greater danger than I had assumed. A part of me wanted to ask Balak for the drink I knew he had hidden somewhere. I could use something to ease my worries. But I refrained. It wouldn’t look good on me to smell like alcohol after my earlier announcement to the army. Besides, the last thing I needed was to go down the path and begin finding comfort in a bottle.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“It was all a set up.”
“What was?”
“The artifact! They wanted us to find it.”
“You know this for sure?”
“No. But it makes sense. They were losing the war and they knew they had this weapon that once activated would cause a great deal of devastation. But they didn’t want to use it themselves or they might wipe out all their own forces. So, they let us win, sacrifice a few thousand to convince us of our victory. They signed a treaty they had no intention of keeping, then piqued our interest in the artifact with all their stories of immense power. So when the Council of High Mages grew worried about my approach on Hol . . . Well, you know the rest.”
I had to admit that it did sound like something the Geneshans would do. They had shown in the past they would sacrifice their own if they thought it would mean victory later. The more I thought about it, the more I began to internally berate myself for not reaching the same conclusion.
“You think they’re going to Hol to reclaim the artifact?”
“That and to take Turine into their empire.”
“Turine isn’t much of an addition anymore.”
“Maybe, but the Geneshans will still have it.”
“Do you think they can shut down the artifact?”
“Why else would they be going north unless they knew for sure?”
I rubbed my jaw. “This changes things. We can’t just kill them. We have to capture their leaders so they can turn the artifact off first. If it looks like we’re winning, they might decide to do something worse with it in order to wipe us out.”
“I know. Which is also why I wanted to see you. You’re going to need to get a new unit ready. I’ll need to eventually send out some small groups for special missions based on this new information.”
“Does that mean someone else will train the army while I get my group ready?”
“No, that’s still your job too.”
Just great.
His face grew stern. “I know you wanted to look out for those you brought from the outpost, but you’re going to want to pick mostly veterans for this new unit, people that aren’t going to require a great deal of training to contribute immediately. People who can handle the pressure. Things are going to get dirty.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. “How dirty?”
“As dirty as necessary to win.”
I was right not to like the sound of that. Once a man started to cast aside his morals, I wondered if he was much of a man anymore.
“When will Hamath return? I’ll want to get with him about re-joining my unit.”
“Hamath is off limits,” he said quickly while shuffling papers.
“Why? Because he’s a scout? That didn’t matter before when you let him pull double duty.”
He snorted. “I guess he hasn’t told you?”
“Told me what?”
“I already talked to him a little earlier before sending him back out. He wants to run his own squad.” He chuckled. “I guess he wants to get out of your shadow.”
That stung on multiple levels.
Hamath must have returned from scouting without my knowing and made no effort to continue our conversation. Then, rather than using an opportunity to mend our relationship by reforming our old unit, he chose instead to go off on his own.
Molak-be-damned.
CHAPTER 5
“C’mon Aunt Ava, it’s your turn,” said Zadok, nudging her with his elbow as the two sat at the top of the small tower.
Zadok had found her staring out at the landscape where Balak and his army had stood less than two days ago. She had been contemplating the gruesome fate awaiting her brother and friends. It was an awful way to spend her time, but it at least distracted her from worrying about the results of Sivan’s efforts scouting with the others.
My luck he’ll come back with a change of heart and singing of dark, rich soil.
Ava sighed. “Do we really need to play this game? It’s a little beyond your age. And way beyond mine.”
“It passes the time. Nason’s kids like to play it.”
“That should tell you something.”
He gave her a cross look. “You’re not suggesting a better alternative.”
She shook her head. That boy. As much as Myra is like Tyrus, Zadok is definitely like Lasha.
Ava remembered when Tyrus first brought Lasha home all those years ago. Ava hated her at first because she was a foreigner who looked like no one else, and was beautiful to boot. To make matters worse, Tyrus married Lasha without ever bothering to get Ava’s approval.
But the hate didn’t last long.
After a ten-minute conversation that ended with them both laughing uncontrollably, she had understood Tyrus’s decision. In fact, she would have been angry at him for not marrying her.
She snorted to herself. “You remind me so much of your mother at times.”
Zadok smiled, obviously pleased at the comment. “How so?”
“Because of something like that,” she said, pointing to his smile. “Despite all we’ve been through, and the uncertainty still out there, you’re smiling and trying to cheer me up with children’s games. Somehow you always look on the bright side. Just like your mother. And, just like Lasha, your propensity toward the positive doesn’t annoy me like it does with just about anyone else.”
“Thank you.” He smiled wider. “But you still need to take your turn.”
“Ao-be-damned. Why can’t I have a stupid niece and nephew? It’d be nice to put one over on you two from time-to-time.”
“Aunt Ava,” he urged.
“You ever thought that maybe I don’t want to pass the time? That I like being miserable?”
He scowled. “If I remind you of Ma, then you remind me of Pa and Myra. You both like to go off alone and dwell on every l
ittle thing. You worry that if you don’t, something awful will happen that you won’t be prepared for. That’s a bad way to live.”
“It’s worked so far.”
“Has it? Were you able to prepare for everything that happened the last few months?”
She didn’t like that questioning and snapped. “No.”
“Yet, we’re doing all right for ourselves.”
She chuckled. “You call this all right?”
“We’re alive. And we have each other.”
He’s got me there.
“Definitely like your mother,” she grumbled.
She sighed, deciding to give in to her nephew rather than continuing to argue. Especially since the only way she could fight back and make her point was bring up all the stuff that could happen to them or Tyrus now that they had separated.
And that won’t exactly win me the title of best aunt.
“Fine,” she huffed. “I spy with my eye, something gray.”
“Seriously? Gray?”
“Yes. Is that too hard for you?” she teased.
“Aunt Ava, almost everything is gray thanks to the last eruption.”
“If you want me to play a game, then I’m going to play to win. You have ten questions. Go.”
Zadok never had a chance to ask his first. They both caught sight of dust being kicked up in the distance. Three approaching figures on horseback emerged from the cloud.
“That looks like Sivan out front,” said Zadok. “Wow, they’re really moving.”
Scouts don’t return that carelessly unless there’s trouble.
“Yeah, that can’t be good.”
She wheeled toward the inside of the outpost. She hung over that side of the tower so the people in the courtyard could see her. She waved her hands and shouted.
“Everyone on alert! We may have trouble!”
Everyone froze, faces paling as they met her gaze.
“Molak-be-damned!” she continued. “That means move and find something useful to bash someone’s head in with. Not stand around like idiots! It hasn’t been that long since we last drilled!”
People shook off their shock and acted, dropping baskets, clothes, buckets, and barrels. They filled their hands with bows, swords, knives, shovels, and spades. Nason was in the middle of them, directing others to preassigned stations.
Resurrected Soldiers: The Tyrus Chronicle - Book Three Page 7